Palace: Congress shall decide on Bautista impeachment

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday distanced itself from the House of Representatives’ impeachment of Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista, who had earlier announced his decision to step down at the end of this year.

“Well, Congress shall decide what to do, you know, with this impeachment in view of his resignation,” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing, adding that the Palace acknowledges Bautista’s services.

“After his successor is named, we look forward to a smooth transition and preparations for Barangay and SK Elections next year for... and midterm polls, and if possible, BBL and Charter Change plebiscites in 2019,” Abella also said.

“So, basically we have no comment regarding that,” he added.

In a letter addressed to the Comelec, Bautista on Wednesday said that it was the right time to step down following the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

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The House Committee on Justice last month dismissed an impeachment complaint against Bautista over allegations his estranged wife Patricia raised early August. She accused the Comelec chief of amassing about P1 billion in unexplained wealth, which was not declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

During the plenary debates on the complaint on Wednesday afternoon, 137 representatives voted to reject the committee resolution that junked the impeachment charge against the poll chief while 75 House members voted to adopt it. Two representatives abstained from the voting.